Phoebe Cooper
by TheMidnightGoddess
Summary: Phoebe Cooper is distantly related to Alanna, except in a totally different time, so things are only vaguely the same. So, Phoebe is captured by pirates and taken to this hut somewhere and tyed up. Man I suck at summaries :S


She struggled and struggled, but could not get the ropes off. Her hands, ankles and knees were bound. –With good rope too - She thought - The one time they use strong rope! – Phoebe sighed; they always underestimated her ways of thinking. Phoebe was slim, graceful, perfectly muscled, catlike, friendly and the best fighter out of anyone she had ever fought against. She was even a better fighter than her mother. Her mother was Lady Isabella Cooper – The Great Lady – and she did not lose to just anyone. In fact the only people who could best her were Dawn and Phoebe, two of her own daughters.

Phoebe was just about to try something stupid, when she heard the sounds of heavy boots thudding on the cold, hard stone floor somewhere behind the door. She could also hear the faint rattling of keys. Phoebe grinned. Whether they knew it or not, those tough, idiotic, blunderers (as Phoebe called them) were giving her a chance to get away. And Phoebe always got away when given a chance.

She lay still as the men on the other side of the door put a key in the lock. Phoebe listened as the key turned and the door opened with a bang. Phoebe didn't move when it did and instead she glared at the tall, broad-shouldered man who came into the room. He grinned at her, showing a mouth full of dirty, brown teeth. Phoebe's look could have peeled paint, but the big man seemed oblivious to his captive's hate. The man – Captain File – yelled something over his shoulder. When he looked back at Phoebe, his grin disappeared.

Phoebe was on her feet, the rope; a small mountain of threads in a heap at her feet. She grinned right back at him, rubbing the red marks on her wrists where the rope had been.

"But … But …" The Captain stuttered. He backed up a step and Phoebe advanced a step, her eyes twinkling with malice.

"But what, captain?" she asked in her sweetest voice.

"How did you do that?" he asked hoarsely backing up a few steps more.

"Oh, it was just a bit of magic." Phoebe said airily. The captain looked as though he had seen a ghost. He hated magic and thought of it as a power for witches. Even for him it was too much when his belt started wriggling. He tore it off and ran from the room as fast as he could with a cry of "WITCH!". Phoebe laughed and fluttered her fingers after him.

"Thanks Sandry." She said. A slim girl dropped softly to the floor beside her.

"That's alright." Sandry replied and straightened, tossing her long amber curls over her shoulder. Sandry was a thread mage; she could make anything made out of thread do her bidding. She was one of Phoebe's many sisters. They were very close. Together they walked out into the hallway. Some of the crew from File's ships was there. They had been waiting for Phoebe to come out. They hadn't run when the captain had. They were sick of the captain File. They wanted Phoebe as their captain but she didn't know that. Yet.

"Gentlemen, whatever are you doing here? I thought you'd run with the coward." Phoebe said, eyebrows raised.

"That's what we wanted to talk to ye 'bout miss." One said, "We want ye to be our capt'n. That ol' idiot, File was a coward fit to capt'n pigs. Ye ain't." He hesitated then went on, "we don't care 'bout ye bein' a lady. We care 'bout more important things like strength, courage, stuff like that. Miss?"

Phoebe had been watching the man intently through his odd speech. Now she was trying very hard to keep a straight face.

"Miss?" he asked again. Worry was written clear on his tanned and scard face. Phoebe saw this and was quick to reassure him.

"Don't worry my dear man!" she clapped him on the shoulder, "I would happily be your captain. Although I do wonder what Mother will think of it?" she looked at Sandry, who grinned.

"Don't we have to sign papers and such?" Phoebe queried, leading the way out of the house and towards the small fleet of ships docked in the wharf. The men aboard the ships cheered when they saw who was leading their comrades. There were calls and jests which Phoebe returned cheerfully. Even Sandry enjoyed herself when she saw the handsome, young man that was to help her with anything. Phoebe caught her eye and winked making her sister blush.


End file.
